Girl dies amid Uitenhage protests

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Eastern Cape police say a ten-year-old girl has died of head injuries in Uitenhage near Port Elizabeth. This comes after she was found in Blikkiesdorp on Thursday night amid violent protests.

Spokesperson Gerda Swart says the girl was admitted to the local provincial hospital. They initially investigated a charge of attempted murder but since she has died, the charge has changed to murder.

A relative calm has returned to Langa, Kamesh, Blikkiesdorp and Rosedale townships with police still on patrol.

Angry residents embarked on protests this week, demanding proper housing and set alight a health centre. Fifteen people have been arrested for public violence.

Meanwhile, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro deputy mayor, Chippa Ngcolomba, says the African National Congress is aware of a plan to destabilise the metro.

He was reacting after a series of violent service delivery protests in Langa Township. Ngcolomba has dismissed the ongoing protest as an act of criminality.

"We know for a fact that this thing is intended to escalate in the entire metro because there is a ground that is being prepared. We are ready to make sure that we stabilise this metro. We want to plead to communities to remain calm and make sure that they are not misled."